One last stand (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

One last stand

DAVE EATON discovers the GWR Cricket Club preparing to reform for one day only, five years after they were thrown out of their spiritual home.

FIVE years after being kicked out of their Shrivenham Road home and having subsequently been forced to disband, the GWR Cricket Club will be back albeit for a day.

Former club members are reuniting for a one-off special game on Sunday at Tidworth against Wiltshire Queries, a Sunday and midweek non-league touring side.

The club was forced to disband when property speculators bought the ground their home for almost 70 years and refused to allow the club to continue to use it.

Despite strenuous efforts to save the ground by the many members who played cricket, tennis and bowls there, the fight was lost and since 2000, the ground has stood derelict.

The players who made up the three Saturday and two Sunday sides dispersed to other local clubs or were lost to the game.

The closure of the cricket club was particularly sad for the 13 boys from the club who were playing for Wiltshire at various age group levels at the time.

Former GWR player Derrick Beer, who plays occasionally for the Queries and Gloucester Gypies and is the driving force behind the reunion, said: "It is a terrible shame that we were forced to quit the ground five years ago.

"It should not have happened as the land is still lying derelict today, but that is another story.''

Beer continued: "I had been planning this for a while and wanted to arrange the match to have a reunion and a game together again.

"But I also wanted to draw attention to the fact that the ground is still standing derelict.

"The amount of sporting facilites or land in this town that have been swallowed up by developers is far too great.

"The GWR ground was laid out with money that had been saved from the apprentices scheme for the benefit of the workers and the people of Swindon.

"However, it was bought up by developers and the various sports stopped, but today it still lies derelict. We could have continued."

Beer added: "When we disbanded after the 2000 season we all decided it would be a good idea to get together sometime and play a game or two again as a team.

"But people moved onto various clubs spread around the area or just packed up playing and obviously you lose touch.''

He added: "I spoke to Wiltshire Queries about reviving the side for a game and they were happy to face us.

"I then contacted several of our former players and they thought it was a very good idea so GWR will live again for a day.

"The side will be made up of several generations players from the 60s, their sons and also from families associated with GWR cricket club.

"Also we would like to see on Sunday any other former club members during the day, if possible."

The special challenge will be played on the superb Army cricket ground at Tidworth from 11.30am.

Shanti de Silva will umpire and the former GWRCC chairman, John Crawford will be the scorer.

Any former club members who would like further information should contact Derrick Beer on 01793 762070.

The GWR team will be made up of Beer, Steve Crawford, Mark Flay, Ted Heape, Gerry Meale, Phil Morton, Roger Morton, Chris Rogers, Colin Rogers, Tony Shama and one of the Stevens family.